World Notes and History:

Jove and Gaia are the Father and Mother Gods-Eurynome is their progeny. The 3 are responsible for an overthrowing of older, less benificent gods, known now only as the Elder Gods. The battle for deific supremacy devastated the world, and led to horrific destruction. Currently, the area being adventured in is a series of islands supposedly formed after the eagle upon which Jove rode to battle was killed and fell into the seas. So far as the majority of the inhabitants know, the islands are the only still-habitable areas of the world.
These islands were moved onto during the cataclysmic battles fought by the Gods as they vied for control, and were the only places not totally submerged or rendered unlivable at that time. It has been some 7 millennia since these events, and the world may have recovered, but very few here would have even an inkling of such matters.
Most travel is done by boat, especially coaster style ship, due to the lack of riding animals. Actually, there is a lack overall of most of what people would consider common beasts of burden. There are no horses, mules, or such, nor cattle or their various brethren. The majority of the animal population is avian or reptilian, and very few of those are biddable enough to be ridden, leading to a aquatic-based travel system. There are, however, pigs.
Most creatures that are not natural will be one of a kind - like Greek mythology, these beast don't breed but are instead the results of crossbreeding by the demons, demigods, and other "natural" beings with either beast or human lovers.
The Elven lands tend to be the forefront when attacks are made from the islands that Orcs live on - they being the remnant of beings who remained steadfast in their worship of the Elder Gods, alongside the Kuo-Toa. The Elves are a class of "demigod" that fought alongside Jove and Gaia in the battle for supremacy. Obviously, the old races are still bearing a grudge. Humans who invade the Shadowed Lands usually receive 1 warning, and are then killed.
Demons, elementals and other extraplanar creatures do exist - interplanar travel is difficult for anyone not a God or demigod, but incantations do exist for traveling among the spheres of the Universe - and into or from the utter darkness beyond those spheres, where the Elder Gods were exiled…or were they?

Comments
To classify this world is difficult - there are multiple pieces I am trying to marry into a whole. The feel I am trying for is a world that is high fantasy, with a strong horror aspect. Think Tolkien, Mckiernan, Feist with Poe/Lovecraft overtones. There are multiple cultures crammed into a small area due to the background - we mix Eastern European with Turkish, Irish, and Greek style cultures - and they are in an area that is essentially the size of the indonesian island chain. The Elves are a mix of Mckiernan's eternal Elves with the Tuatha de Danaan and Norse "elves", and are not PC's for a reason. Eternal life leads to epic scale characters. We are not trying for humor, nor are we attempting to infringe on anyone's stuff. I hope to be successful in combining these to create a world where magic is magical, not commonplace, and while there are dark portents, the PC's feel that they can and will make a difference.